Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across
the incline
of
a hill.
If
this happens,
you
have to decide
whether to try to drive across the incline. Here
are
some
things to consider:
0
A
hill that can be driven straight up or down may be
too steep to dnve across. When you go straight up or
down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the
distance from the front wheels
to
the rear wheels)
reduces the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end. But when you drive across an incline, the
much more narrow track width (the distance between
the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an
incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels.
This
could cause a downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive
across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet
grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill.
If
the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
0
Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the
incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with
the uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels
drop
into
a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need
to decide carefully
whether to
try
to drive across
an
incline. Just because
the trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean you have
to drive it. The last vehicle to try
it
might have rolled
over.
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